Election Day brings full ballots for voters

• By STEVEN WARD
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Nov 4, 2008 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Today is Election Day, and Louisianians will cast ballots for the next president, while residents of East Baton Rouge Parish decide on a nearly $1 billion capital improvements proposal that would raise sales and property taxes.

The polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Louisiana voters also choose a U.S. senator and decide on seven constitutional amendments.

East Baton Rouge Parish voters will cast votes in eight Metro Council runoff elections and decide on the U.S. representative of the 6th Congressional District.

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., face off in a historic presidential race.

If Obama wins, he will become the first black president in the country’s history. A McCain victory would usher in the country’s first female vice president, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

The ballot also offers seven other choices for president, including Independent candidate Ralph Nader.

East Baton Rouge Parish residents will vote on Mayor-President Kip Holden’s proposed $989 million capital improvements plan. If it passes, it would raise the parish sales tax a half cent and create a 9.9-mill property tax.

The money will be used, among other projects, to: build two new parking garages as part of a proposed expansion of the River Center; construct a downtown riverfront tourist attraction called Alive; build a new parish prison; fund a public safety complex to house the Baton Rouge Police and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office; overhaul drainage; and replace 38 dangerous bridges.

Parish voters also decide runoff races for eight Metro Council seats, districts 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11 and 12.

Incumbents Ulysses “Bones” Addison of District 2, a Democrat, Martha Jane Tassin of District 6, a Republican, and Byron Sharper of District 7, a Democrat, are running against political newcomers.

The remaining five races are open seats.

Incumbent Mary Landrieu, a Democrat, is defending her U.S. Senate seat against state Treasurer John Kennedy, a Republican. Three other candidates are also in the race.